Mobile supporting means for suction cleaners



INVENTOR. u flaw 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ril 23, 1968 J. l. BORREFORS MOBILE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed June 13, 1966 7. A H 6 Z N 3 J 4 ..M 5 V 1 L j w l l I ll w A. 10. I. v MM W F F y 5 y w w A /0 g 3 b A .D 7 .w G 1 /12 7 3 I Q (J 2 F M a 2 w April 3, 1968 J. I. BORREFORS 3,378,877

MOBILE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed June 13, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P 48 55 F3 [L- a 27a INVENTOR.

' A; ym/way United States Patent 3,378,877 MOBILE SUPPORTING MEANS FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Jan Ingvald Biirrefors, Malmo, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget Eiectrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed June 13, 1966, Ser. No. 556,980 Claims priority, application Sweden, June 16, 1965, 8,002/65 13 Claims. (Cl. 15-327) My invention relates to elongated tank-type suction cleaners and more particularly to mobile supporting means for cleaners of this type.

It is an important object of my invention to provide improved supporting means for a suction cleaner of this type to render the cleaner extremely mobile and to overcome the tendency of the cleaner to become unbalanced and tip over. I accomplish this by providing supporting means for a tank-type suction cleaner which includes a caster wheel mounted at the bottom of the cleaner casing at one end thereof for movement about a vertical axis, and effecting movement of the caster wheel about the first vertical axis responsive to angular movement imparted to a horizontal arm of an L-shaped suction hose fitting movable about a second axis at the region of the vertical arm of the fitting, the vertical arm being mounted for rotation on the cleaner casing at the front air inlet opening thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a suction cleaner embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are top plan views diagrammatically illustrating the suction cleaner partly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a suction cleaner like that shown in FIG. 1 illustrating a modification of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view taken at line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are top plan views diagrammatically illustrating the suction cleaner shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawing, I have shown my invention embodied in a horizontal tank-type suction cleaner 10 comprising a casing 11, a front end cover 12 and rear end cover 1 4. The casing is provided with wheels 15 and 16 to facilitate movement thereof on a supporting surface, the wheels 15 being positioned at the vicinities of the vertical planes extending downward from the opposing sides of the casing and the caster wheel 16 at the front end of the casing being disposed between the side walls of the cleaner.

The front wheel 16 forms part of a caster which includes an upright pin 17 mounted for rotation at 18 at the bottom of the casing 11. To the lower end of the pin 17 is fixed a horizontal plate forming the closed end of a depending bracket 19 of inverted U-shape having spaced arms 20 at the lower ends of which the wheel 16 is mounted for rotation on a horizontal shaft 21. Hence the wheel 16 is rotatable about a horizontal axis at 21 which is radially removed from the vertical axis at the pin 17 about which the caster is angularly movable.

The front end cover 12 is hinged at 22 and is formed with an air inlet 23 at the bottom thereof. Flow of air through the air inlet 23 at the front end of the cleaner "ice 10 is induced by a suitable motor-fan unit 24 disposed 'in the casing 11. Dirt entrained in. air drawn into the inlet 23 is separated from air when it passes through a dust collecting member 25, and air from which dirt is removed is discharged from the casing through an opening (not shown) in the rear end cover 14.

An air inlet conduit 26 defining an air passageway is L-shaped and movable about the vertical axis 37 of the upright arm or leg 26a thereof, thus enabling the horizontal arm 26b to be angularly shifted from one to the other side of a vertical plane VP extending lengthwise of the casing 11 and intersecting the vertical axis 37 of the upright arm 26a, as indicated by the arrow 27 in FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the upright arm 26a is journaled by a roller bearing 28 secured at 29 to the front end cover 12.

A hose 30 is secured in any suitable manner at 31 to the outer end of the horizontal arm 26b. Suitable cleaning tools may be connected to a wand which in turn is connected to the outer free end of the suction hose 30 and through which air flows into the front end of the casing 11 through the air inlet 23.

The suction cleaner 10 can be moved about a supporting surface with the aid of the hose 30 irrespective of the position of the cleaner 10. No matter in which direction the hose 30 is pulled, either in a direction lengthwise of the cleaner 10 or at an acute angle thereto, the horizontal arm 26b of the L-shaped conduit 26 will always freely turn about the vertical axis 37 thereof to a position more or less in alignment in the direction in which the pulling force is applied to the hose 30.

In accordance with my invention, in order to provide supporting means for the cleaner 10 which is extremely mobile, the wheel 16 desirably turns about the vertical axis at the pin 17 when the horizontal arm 26b of the L-shaped conduit 26 is shifted by a pulling force applied to the hose 30. Optimum mobility of the supporting means is realized when the wheel 16 is shifted to a position which is substantially parallel to the position to which the horizontal arm 26b has been shifted which, as explained above, is dependent upon the direction in which the pulling force is applied to the hose 30.

I do this by providing mechanism which connects the caster wheel 16 and the upright arm 26a of the conduit 26 and angularly moves the caster wheel 16 about the vertical axis 38 of the pin 17 responsive to angular movement imparted to the horizontal arm 26b about the vertical axis 37 coinciding with the axis of the upright arm 26a. The mechanism comprises gearing which includes a gear segment 32 fixed to the upright arm 26a of the conduit 26 and angularly movable therewith, another gear segment 33 fixed to the pin 17 of the caster wheel 16 and angularly movable therewith, and a pinion 34 between the gear segments 32 and 33 which coacts therewith and is fixed to a pin 35 mounted for rotation at 36 at the bottom of the casing 11. The gear segments 32 and 33 and pinion 34 therebetween are enclosed in a housing 35' depending from the bottom of the casing 11 and removably secured thereto at 36.

In View of the foregoing, it will now be understood that when the horizontal arm 26b of the conduit 26 is angularly turned to one side or the other side of the vertical plane VP which extends lengthwise of the casing 11 and intersects the second vertical axis 37 about which the horizontal arm 26]: is angularly movable, as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the gears 32, 33 and 34- function to move the caster wheel 16 about the first vertical axis 38 in the same direction that movement is imparted to the horizontal arm 26b of the conduit 26 about the second vertical axis 37.

Amodification of the embodiment of my invention which is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 and just described is shown in FIGS. to 8. Parts shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 which are similar to parts illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 are designated by the same reference numerals. In FIGS. 5 to 8 the suction cleaner 110 is provided with wheels 115 and 116, the wheels 115 being positioned at the front end of the cleaner at the vicinities of vertical planes extending downward from opposing sides of the casing 111 and the caster wheel 116 being positioned at the rear end of the cleaner between the side walls of the casing.

The rear wheel 116 forms part of a caster which includes an upright pin 117 mounted for rotation at 118 at the bottom of the casing 111. To the lower end of the pin 117 is fixed a horizontal plate forming the closed end of a depending bracket 119 of inverted U-shape having spaced arms 120 at the lower ends of which the wheel 116 is mounted for rotation on a horizontal shaft 121. As in the first described embodiment, the wheel 116 is rotatable about a horizontal axis at 121 which is radially removed from the vertical axis 138 at the pin 117 and about which the caster is angularly movable.

In the modification of FIGS. 5 to 8 the mechanism connecting the caster wheel 116 and the upright arm 26a of the conduit 26 comprises a first sprocket 40 fixed to the upright arm 26a, a second sprocket 41 fixed to the pin 117 of the caster wheel 116, and a chain 42 extending about the sprockets 40 and 41 and having two runs 42a and 42b therebetween which intersect one another. A chain guard 43, like the chain guards employed to guard bicycle chains, is fixed at 44 to the bottom of the easing 111.

AS best shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the sprockets 4t) and 41 and chain 42 function to move the caster wheel 116 about a first vertical axis 138 in the opposite direction that movement is imparted to the horizontal arm 26b of the conduit 26 about the second vertical axis 137. For example, when the horizontal arm 26b is moved clockwise about the vertical axis 137 in the direction of the arrow 127a, as indicated in FIG. 6-, the sprocket 40 moves clockwise in the direction of the arrow 45 and imparts counterclockwise movement to the sprocket 41 in the direction of the arrow 46. Under these conditions the horizontal arm 26b is subject to a pulling force by the hose in the direction of the arrow 47, as indicated in FIG. 7. In FIG. 7 it will be seen that the horizontal arm 26b of the conduit 26 is inclined to the left from the vertical plane VP and the front part of the caster wheel 116 is inclined to the right from the vertical plane VP. Under these conditions the caster wheel 116 moves forward in the direction of the arrow 48, whereby the mobility of the supporting means for the suction cleaner 110 will be promoted to make a turn to the left in FIG. 7 without any likelihood of the suction cleaner 11% becoming unbal anced and tipping over.

When the horizontal arm 26b is moved counterclockwise about the vertical axis 137 in the direction of the arrow 127b, as indicated in FIG. 6, the sprocket moves counterclockwise in the direction of the arrow a. Under these conditions the horizontal arm 26b is subject to a pulling force by the hose 30 in the direction of the arrow 47a, as indicated in FIG. 8. In FIG. 8 it will be seen that the horizontal arm 26b is inclined to the right from the vertical plane VP and the front part of the caster wheel 116 is inclined to the left from the vertical plane VP. Under these conditions the caster wheel 116 moves forward in the direction of the arrow 48a, whereby the mobility of the supporting means for the suction cleaner will be promoted to make a turn to the right in FIG. 8 without any likelihood of the suction cleaner becoming unbalanced and tipping over.

In the first described embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the odd number of gears 32, 33 and 34, some of which have been referred to above as gear segments, function to move the caster wheel 16 about the first vertical axis 38 in the same direction that movement is imparted to the horizontal arm 26b about the second vertical axis 37. For example, when the horizontal arm 26b is moved clockwise about the vertical axis 37 in the direction of the arrow 27a, as indicated in FIG. 2, the gear segment 32 moves clockwise in the direction of the arrow and, through the pinion 34, imparts clockwise movement to the gear segment 33 in the direction of the arrow 146. Under these conditions the horizontal arm 26b is subject to a pulling force by the hose 30 in the direction of the arrow 147, as indicated in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3 it will be seen that the horizontal arm 26b of the conduit 26 is inclined to the left from the vertical plane VP and the front part of the caster wheel 16 also is inclined to the left from the vertical plane VP. Under these conditions the caster wheel 16 moves forward in the direction of the arrow 148, whereby the mobility of the supporting means for the suction cleaner 10 will be promoted to make a turn to the left in FIG. 3 without any likelihood of the suction cleaner 10 becoming unbalanced and tipping over.

When the horizontal arm 26b is moved counterclockwise about the second vertical axis 37 in the direction of the arrow 2711, as indicated in FIG. 2, the gear segment 32 moves counterclockwise in the direction of the arrow 145a, and, through the pinion 34, imparts counterclockwise movement to the gear segment 33 in the direction of the arrow 146a. Under these conditions the horizontal arm 26b is subject to a pulling force by the hose 36 in the direction of the arrow 147a, as indicated in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4 it will be seen that the horizontal arm 26b is inclined to the right from the vertical plane VP and the front part of the caster wheel 16 also is inclined to the right from the vertical plane VP. Under these conditions the caster wheel 16 moves forward in the direction of the arrow 148a, whereby the mobility of the supporting means for the suction cleaner 18 will be promoted to make a turn to the right in FIG. 4 without any likelihood of the suction cleaner 10 becoming unbalanced and tipping over.

In view of the foregoing explanation, it will now be understood that, when the caster wheel is disposed either at the front air inlet end or the rear air outlet end of the cleaner, as in the embodiments illustrated and described above, the mechanism connecting the caster wheel and the vertical arm 26a of the L-shaped conduit 26 is so constructed and arranged that, when the horizontal arm 26b is angularly turned to one or the other side of the vertical plane VP, turning movement will be imparted to the caster wheels about the vertical axes 38 and 138 in such a direction that the mobility of the supporting means will be promoted to change the direction of movement of the suction cleaner casing 11 on the supporting surface.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, it will be seen that the mechanism connecting the caster wheel 16 and the upright arm 26a of the conduit 26 coacts with the caster wheel 16 in such manner that the vertical axis 38 of the caster wheel is nearer to the upright arm 26a of the conduit 26 than the horizontal axis 21 about which the caster wheel 16 rotates. In a similar manner, in the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 8, it will be seen that the mechanism connecting the caster wheel 116 and the upright arm 26a of the conduit 26 coacts with the caster wheel 116 in such manner that the vertical axis 137 of the caster wheel 116 is nearer to the upright arm 26a of the conduit 26 than the horizontal axis 121 about which the caster wheel 116 rotates. With this arrangement the caster wheels 16 and 116 efiiciently promote the mobility of the supporting means in the manner explained above.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, such variations and modifications are contemplated as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a tank-type suction cleaner comprising an elongated casing having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and means for moving air therethrough, the combination of means for normally suporting the casing in a horizontally extending position for movement on a supporting surface, the supporting means including a caster Wheel at one end of the casing between opposing sides thereof, means for mounting the caster wheel at the bottom of the casing for movement about a first vertical axis,

conduit means providing an air passageway having a bend and a first arm extending vertically therefrom and a second arm extending horizontally therefrom, means connecting the first arm to the casing in communication with the inlet, the connecting means including structure for mounting the first arm on the casing for angular movement about a second vertical axis, the outer end of the second arm, when the latter is angularly moved about the second vertical axis during movement of the casing from place to place by pulling force applied thereto, being movable to opposite sides of a vertical plane extending lengthwise of the casing and intersecting the second axis, and mechanism connecting the caster wheel and the first arm of the passageway means to move the caster wheel about the first vertical axis responsive to angular movement imparted to the second arm of the passageway means about the second vertical axis. 2. In a tank-type suction cleaner comprising an elongated casing having an inlet and outlet at opposite ends and means for moving air therethrough, the combination of means for normally supporting the casing in a horizontally extending position for movement on a supporting surface, the supporting means including a caster wheel at one end of the casing between opposing sides thereof, means for mounting the caster wheel at the bottom of the casing for movement about a first vertical axis, conduit means providing an air passageway having a bend and a first arm extending vertically therefrom and a second arm extending horizontally therefrom,

means connecting the first arm to the casing in communication with the inlet, the connecting means including structure for mounting the first arm on the casing for angular movement about a second vertical axis,

the outer end of the second arm being adapted to be connected to a flexible suction hose capable of extending from the casing and operable, when pulled, to move the casing from place to place,

the outer end of the second arm, when the latter is angularly moved about the second vertical axis during movement of the casing from place to place, being movable to opposite sides of a vertical plane extending lengthwise of the casing and intersecting the second axis,

mechanism connecting the caster wheel and the first arm of the passageway means to move the caster wheel about the first vertical axis responsive to angular movement imparted to the second arm of the passageway means about the second vertical axis, and mechanism connecting the caster wheel and the first arm of the passageway means to move the caster wheel about the first vertical axis responsive to angular movement imparted to the second arm of the passageway means about the second vertical axis, and the mechanism being so constructed and arranged that, when the second arm of the passageway means is angularly turned to one side of the vertical plane extending lengthwise of the casing by pulling force applied thereto, turning movement will be imparted to the caster wheel about the first vertical axis in such a direction that the mobility of the supporting means will be promoted to change the direction of move ment of the casing on the supporting surface.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the caster wheel is disposed at the air inlet end of the casing between opposing sides thereof and the mechanism connecting the caster wheel and the first arm of the passageway means includes means for moving the caster wheel about the first vertical axis in the same direction that movement is imparted to the second arm of the passageway means about the second vertical axis.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the caster wheel is disposed at the air outlet end of the casing between opposing sides thereof and the mechanism conmeeting the caster wheel and the first arm of the passageway means includes means for moving the caster Wheel about the first vertical axis in the opposite direction that movement is imparted to the second arm of the passage way means about the second vertical axis.

5, Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the supporting means further includes a pair of wheels at the opposite end of the casing, the pair of wheels being posinoned at the vicinities of vertical planes extending downward from the opposing sides of the casing.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which the supporting means further includes a pair of wheels at the air outlet end of the casing, the pair of wheels being positioned at the vicinities of vertical planes extending downward from the opposing sides of the casing.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which the supporting means further includes a pair of wheels at the air inlet end of the casing, the pair of wheels being positioned at the vicinities of vertical planes extending downward from the opposing sides of the casing.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the casing is provided with an opening at the bottom thereof which defines the air inlet, and the first arm of the passageway means in communication with the inlet extends vertically downward from the air inlet.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the mechanism comprises gearing.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2- in which the mechanism comprises gearing including an odd number of gears, one of the gears being carried by the first arm and another of the gears being carried by the caster wheel.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the mechanism includes sprockets respectively carried by the first arm of the passageway means and the caster wheel and a chain extending about the sprockets and having two runs there'between.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which the mechanism comprises sprockets respectively carried by the first arm of the passageway means and the caster wheel and a chain extending about the sprockets and having two runs therebetween, the two runs of the chain intersecting one another.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which the caster wheel is rotatable about a horizontal axis radially removed from the first vertical axis about which the caster wheel is movable, the mechanism connecting the caster wheel and the first arm of the passageway means coacting with the caster wheel in such manner that the vertical axis of the caster wheel is nearer to the first arm of the passageway means than the horizontal axis about which the caster wheel rotates.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,156,542 10/1963 Germany.

ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TANK-TYPE SUCTION CLEANER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED CASING HAVING AN INLET AND OUTLET AT OPPOSITE ENDS AND MEANS FOR MOVING AIR THERETHROUGH, THE COMBINATION OF MEANS FOR NORMALLY SUPPORTING THE CASING IN A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING POSITION FOR MOVEMENT ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE, THE SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING A CASTER WHEEL AT ONE END OF THE CASING BETWEEN OPPOSING SIDES THEREOF, MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE CASTER WHEEL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CASING FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A FIRST VERTICAL AXIS, CONDUIT MEANS PROVIDING AN AIR PASSAGEWAY HAVING A BEND AND A FIRST ARM EXTENDING VERTICALLY THEREFROM AND A SECOND ARM EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY THEREFROM, MEANS CONNECTING THE FIRST ARM TO THE CASING IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INLET, THE CONNECTING MEANS INCLUDING STRUCTURE FOR MOUNTING THE FIRST ARM ON THE CASING FOR ANGULAR MOVEMENT ABOUT A SECOND VERTICAL AXIS, THE OUTER END OF THE SECOND ARM, WHEN THE LATTER IS ANGULARLY MOVED ABOUT THE SECOND VERTICAL AXIS DURING MOVEMENT OF THE CASING FROM PLACE TO PLACE BY PULLING FORCE APPLIED THERETO, BEING MOVABLE TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF A VERTICAL PLANE EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE CASING AND INTERSECTING THE SECOND AXIS, AND MECHANISM CONNECTING THE CASTER WHEEL AND THE FIRST ARM OF THE PASSAGEWAY MEANS TO MOVE THE CASTER WHEEL ABOUT THE FIRST VERTICAL AXIS RESPONSIVE TO ANGULAR MOVEMENT IMPARTED TO THE SECOND ARM OF THE PASSAGEWAY MEANS ABOUT THE SECOND VERTICAL AXIS. 